This is why I said that it is too bad that the Astros and Valdez could not reach a fair agreement - because Framber is going to be miserable in NY or PHI or most other places that don't have the support system he has in Houston. Some guys like Clemens can pitch anywhere, others like Sonny Gray cannot.
Chas seems to enjoy being in the managers dog house. At this point I can't say Melton's outperformed him at the plate or on the field.
I will say this. No one in the Astros front office liked James Click. Click clashed with pretty much everyone except the people that he brought in. Click wanted to be able to determine line ups and who did and did not play. Dusty Baker wanted control of his teams - who played, how often and how the clubhouse functioned with minimal meddling by the GM. Crane made it clear when he interviewed Click that he wanted someone that would not change the way everyone worked well together, but would fit in, lead and maybe add to what was going on. The manager and GM where expected to have a good relationship. Baker and Click did not get along at all. Click dealt Straw - after Click told Baker not to play him......... Baker was upset. Later Click tried to change catchers at the deadline in 2022. Baker said no, not in season, and said the pitchers did not want to make a change in season. Click thought he was cute and still tried to make a change by getting Contreras and claimed he would play some 1st and DH. Crane stepped in and shot down the deal. Click did not want Gurriel on the post season roster - Baker and the players did want Gurriel on the post season roster - and Gurriel came up big. At the end of the day, the majority of things Baker wanted to do in 2022 worked, and many of the things Click wanted to do did not work. Click wanted Baker gone and a new contract. Crane told Click that he and Baker could both return if they wanted to. Click threw a fit - Crane offered him a 1 year deal. Click went to the Winter meetings and rippped the Astros ownership and GM. I don't think that Baker is perfect - but I don't know that the Astros win in 2022 with a lot of other managers. Whether luck or wisdom, Baker pulled the right levers in 2022.
The thing that bothers me the most about Framber is that army green wifebeater undershirt he wears in post-game interviews.
Let's see if last night's events galvanized this team or the threads of the suit are starting to fray.
We usually agree -and you know I respect your opinion. However, the reality - and especially in how clubhouses work, Salazar basically did the only thing that POTENTIALLY doesn't harm his career and the team. The lie he told is the type that will be hard to disprove, the only person that would "know" is Salazar and Valdez. Salazar knows that his ticket to a big league career is how he handles pitchers and relationships. The last thing that he wants is to be bad mouthed or viewed as not a team player. The situation would be different with Bench or Molina or Berra behind the plate -- but we both know Valdez wouldn't try that against them. Salazar is like Diaz was last year - young in MLB experience and not established yet. I am not going to overblow the Valdez thing. He has done similar things before - and he is far from the first player to do it. Having said that, it needs to be dealt with internally by the Astros. Who handles it? I don't think Espada has the respect to handle it - someone like Altuve or Correa or Walker can say something to him later - but either Dana Brown or the pitching coach need to talk to him alone and be firm and consistent with him that it isn't going to happen again and that he needs to get his head out of his ass. I still overall trust him - he has been very good for a long time, and these bumps are always part of his issue .... from the drinking issues he overcame, to the anxiety and depression and conditioning.... he will likely overcome this; he is just a knucklehead. The best thing he can do is pitch like he did the game before last night, people will stop talking about it.
I don't know, I think that Altuve is about the same player as last year. He isn't as active on the bases but he also has learned a new position. I do think that he wears down over the course of the season and ideally he is a DH. Last time I checked he was a lot better hitter when he DH's. Unfortunately with Yordan he has to play the field and he didn't get as much rest as needed because of all the injuries. Remember, earlier this season people were writing him off and he responded well. I still trust Altuve in the clutch over 95% of players. I don't think he is the issue outside of fatigue. The Astros have overcome a LOT of injuries and those take a toll. Carlos Correa has not really been a big homer guy in like 5-6 years. He is more of a 20 homer guy. I don't think he has ever even hit 30 homers in a season before. Again, he is a quality hitter that can work the count and produce better than average. Pena and Meyers and Walker and Diaz all have their moments, but no they are not in the class with Altuve or Alvarez. This is nothing new - he has been on a tight rope for years. Maybe? I cannot predict the future when it comes to health and performance. I feel pretty good about their line up going forward if they are healthy - Meyers and Pena and Paredes all showed they are very solid when healthy. Cam Smith ran out of gas after passing a career high in games at the all star break - but he had an OPS over .800 at that point. Right now Garcia and Javier look like they are back - Valdez most likely will figure it out. Meyers is coming back and Hader may as well. They are a very frustrating team - like the 2023 and 2024 teams.
It's a subtle difference that will only matter if someone in the media chooses it as a crusade and brings it back up to get "clarification" on what really happened. It is obvious he was lying and it wouldn't be shocking if a reporter sought to call that out. The GM even admitted that Framber crossed him up because he was angry. Salazar could have mitigated the risk of having it get blown up again just by saying something less dishonest like "there was confusion on which pitch he was going to throw both times, but we discussed it after the game and we're on the same page now", which is technically true, instead of "I pushed the wrong button", which is clearly a lie. But also, I just hate when people lie and it almost never ends well.
I don't know. My guess is that it was Espada over managing in some ways again. I know it is 2025, but a lot of these guys want to know they are going to play 4-5 times a week and where they play. Someone like Jose Oquendo or Mauricio Dubon know and adapt, but having your catcher DH one day, then hitting in a different spot the next, then off - then catching ... a lot of guys really dislike it, and I think it can lead to guys not getting in a rhythm. That is just my opinion though.
If he pitches well it will temporarily be forgiven, but nobody in that dugout is going to forget. Framber screwed up. He's going to have to wear that for a long time.
Yeah that entire explanation of the goings on behind the scenes doesn't cut it. Valdez is a mental case that can't be solved. We have successfully kept it under wraps as best as we could. And I'm in agreement wherever he goes good luck with all that. It will not end well.
